Beyond Belief: groundbreaking WWF-ARC publication

The Himalayan tahr, protected on sacred mountains in Bhutan.

In 2006 WWF-International and ARC published a ground-breaking document titled Beyond Belief which explored the role that faith can play in the protection of sacred forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, seas and deserts.

The document contains a list of the 100 sacred places, which are also places of vital biodiversity, protected by the people who believe in them. It is part of a joint WWF-International/ARC programme launched at the World Parks Congress in Durban in 2003, with the aim of having the term and concept of "Sacred Land" recognised as an international term of protection.

For the complete document, including case studies, arguments for further protection, and warnings about the need for further, more specific guidelines, please download the whole document here. Meanwhile here a list of 100 sacred places, which are also places of vital biodiversity, protected by the people who believe in them:

1. Argentina: Lanin National Park, sacred to the Mapuche Indians, and famous for rare monkey puzzle trees.

55. Lebanon: Qadisha: the Holy Valley, detailed in a case study, and also one of ARC’s projects.

56. Madagascar: Lac Tsimanampetsotsa: Traditional and home to radiated tortoise and some 28 endemic bird species.

57. Madagascar: Amber Mountains – a vital rain catchment area in which the Cult of Nature is observed by local people.

58. Madagascar Sokoantovo proposed park, including 5 lemur species.

59. Malawi: Nyika National Park, containing several sites important for rain-making ceremonies, including one of the largest high grassland plateaux in Africa. Reedbuck, eland, roan antelope, zebra etc.

60. Malaysia: Kinabalu National Park on Sabah, sacred to the Kadazan Dusun people, and home to the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, with as many as 6000 species of flora, including many endemic species.

61. Mali: Cliffs of Bandiagara, centre for the Dogon.

62. Mexico: Wirikuta reserve: traditional to the Huichol people.

63. Mexico: Lagunas de Montebello, with limestone sinkholes.

64. Mongolia: the Bogd Khan Mountain, sacred to Buddhists and detailed in a case study.

65. Mongolia: Dornod Mongol Protected area, sacred to Buddhists and home to up to a million Mongolian gazelle.

66. Mongolia: Khovsgol Lake, sacred to Buddhists who call it the “mother sea”.

67. Mongolia: Terelj National Park, known to Buddhists as God’s Hill, and a place of hiding for Chinggis Khaan. Many poachers.

68. Nepal: Sagarmatha National Park, holy to Buddhists, and including Everest, and 152 species of birds, 36 of them rare or endangered.